Family Bonding with Strong Moments
Weiss is seen sitting with her big sister having some tea and sweets, they are talking about how their days have been and Winter just gave her little sister sad news.
"You're... leaving?" Weiss asked.
"Yes. I was merely needed to oversee the transport of additional units to Vale. Our last shipment was lost to an ambush. I believe you had a run-in with its cargo, actually. It's fortunate those Paladins were in the prototype stage; otherwise, your team may not have fared so well." Winter said.
Hearing that only made Weiss feel a little deflated as that battle was really hard to fight against that one mech piloted by Roman, but she was also grateful to have her friends and team including Sun being there with his strength and handsome monkey ways.
"(Wait, wait, handsome? Since when I have interest in him?)" Weiss thought shocked at herself.
Then she felt her hand being touched and look to see that it is Winter's hand on top of hers.
"Weiss, you've done... well, out here, on your own. You should be proud. I'll be honest, it was quite amusing seeing Father's face the day you left for Beacon!" Winter smiled proudly, and remembering how upset their father was back then.
"I can't wait to show him what I learned!" Weiss smirked.
"Oh? Then what do you think you've learned?" Winter asked with a curious grin. This got Weiss to feel a bit nervous and looks away.
"What do you mean? I'm getting better and better with my glyphs! I've even started Time Dilation!" Weiss stated.
"And what of your Summoning?" Winter asked.
"I... You know I can't." Weiss sighed and looks away, feeling ashamed that it's the one power she couldn't do.
"Don't be ridiculous. Every Schnee has the ability to summon. We have for generations." Winter reminded her little sister about the Schnee family's special power.
"I've tried! It's just... it's the one thing I've been having trouble with!" Weiss admitted sadly and a little angry.
Winter knows that since she had tried to help her little sister to bring out that power but fail every time they trained together, she wasn't going to give up on Weiss that easily.
"We Schnees are unique. Unlike many, our Semblance is hereditary. But that doesn't mean it will come easily." Winter said as she lifts one hand with a small glyph forming.
"Your Semblance is like a muscle. The more you practice with it, the stronger it will become. But if you only focus on one aspect of it..." Winter explained and the glyph exploded into a bright light that nearly blinded Weiss, suddenly a white and blue Beowulf is standing right next to Winter. "If you fail to test the limits of what you think is possible, then you'll never truly grow."
Weiss was amazed by the display of the power shown right in front of her and felt motivated to try again on mastering her Summoning.
(Team RWBY's Room)
"You'll never beat me, old man!" Ruby shouted with a smile.
"You're nothing but talk, kid!" Qrow grinned, feeling confident to win this.
"You can do it, Ruby!" Yang cheered for her little sister.
"Oh, look out! I think he's gonna do an ultimate move!" Summer warned with Zwei barking happily.
"Too late." Raven sighed.
The reason for all the excitement with the family is because Ruby and Qrow are playing video games together, and Ruby just lost to her uncle in the last round barely putting the health bar on his character down and Ruby groans in sadness.
"Ouch." Yang said.
"Don't worry, Ruby. You'll get him next time." Summer patted her daughter on the back.
"If that happens then pigs will be flying. And by the way, don't ever call me old." Qrow said.
"Not our fault you're starting to grow wrinkles from the eyes, and it looks like your hair is losing its color too." Raven teased roughing his hair a bit, Qrow smack the hand away.
"My turn!" Yang said as she jumps in. Summer pulled Ruby away from the spot and handed the controller to Yang to get her turn with the game.
"Now, where was I?" Qrow asked, lost track of the story he was telling his family about.
"You were telling us about your last mission!" Ruby answered.
"And that you were in Mistral." Summer added.
"Right, right…" Qrow nodded while the game was starting up again with a new challenger.
"I'd come across a small village in the swamps west of Mistral. Right off the bat, I knew something wasn't right." Qrow mentioned, remembering how dark and unsettling the place was.
"What were you doing there?" Ruby asked.
"You better not have caused too much trouble, like you'd always do on most missions." Summer said with a concern and slightly scolding look.
"Relax, I needed information. Tired from battling Grimm along the way, I decided to start my search at the town's inn. The place was crawling with lowlifes and thugs, even a few Huntsmen that I could only assume had been hired by less-than reputable people for less-than respectable jobs. And that's when it happened." Qrow said, suddenly looking a little shocked.
"What happened?" Yang asked.
"Did you get caught in a bar fight?" Raven asked as well, but she gets the feeling it might be something a little perverted.
"I was defeated... by the mere sight... of the innkeeper's skirt length!" Qrow revealed with a grin.
Of course, despite telling the story and remembering the moment when he saw that woman with the short skirt, he still won the video game though all four girls were looking at him with questionable and angry look in their eyes.
"Are you fucking serious?" Raven sighed.
"Why can't you ever tell a story that doesn't involve you being a pervert?" Yang asked, not liking the moment with him right now.
"How about beating me and then I'll talk about something fun and serious." Qrow waved his controller at Summer.
"Oh, it is on." Summer snatched the controller from Yang to get her turn.
"So, Uncle Qrow, did you get in trouble with Ozpin?" Ruby asked.
"If only, but Qrow just got a slap on the wrist though Glynda did give him one slap on the face before leaving the office and threw him into the elevator." Raven explained.
"I'm still surprise that she still has that strong slap." Qrow rubbed his cheek where Glynda hit him.
"Serves you right." Summer said.
"Whatever, me and Oz go way back. We're cool." Qrow shrugged.
"Cool for an old guy." Yang joked, Raven chuckles from that and held her hand to her daughter for a high-five.
"Not funny." Qrow glared at the two.
"So, what are you doing here anyway? I thought Mom-Raven said that you would be on a mission, for like... ever." Ruby asked.
"That's what I thought, but it looks like you were able to get the mission done faster." Raven said.
"That's right, and as you know, sis, that a professional Huntsman like myself is expected to get results, as soon as possible." Qrow stated.
"Yeeeeaaaah, I get that. We're pretty much pros, too." Ruby bragged.
"Really now?" Qrow asked raising an eyebrow.
"If you girls are talking about how the Grimms invaded the town after almost stopping a train, then you got another thing coming. Doing things "almost" doesn't give you a medal." Raven stated as she shook her head.
"They do, and it's called silver!" Ruby said resolutely.
"Ruby, sweetie, that's not the point. What she's saying is that you're not thinking like the experience Hunters like us because even we know that we can't stop every single crime in Vale in one night." Summer pointed out.
"Really?" Yang asked.
"Especially with Roman locked up." Raven said.
"Violence hasn't dropped since Roman got nabbed; it's stopped, completely. No White Fang activity anywhere around the city. You cut off the head of the King Taijitu, but now the second head's calling the shots. That's what Ironwood can't get through that thick metal head of his." Qrow said.
"So, you guys know the General?" Ruby asked.
"Of course, the same way we know Cammy and Master Gouken. We met a lot of people even back when we were still students." Summer reached into the pocket inside her cape and took out a photo.
"Qrow, Raven, do you two recognize this?" Summer showed the photo for everyone to see.
"Oh yeah, I remember taking that back in the day." Raven smiled.
"We were known as the coolest team in Beacon, Team STRQ. Kicking ass and taking names." Qrow smirked.
"I'm not sure about the taking names part, but we really were kicking ass. As Qrow would say, We were pretty well known back in the day." Summer chuckled.
"Well known for crummy fashion sense!" Ruby teased.
"Excuse me, young lady, but we had the coolest style back then." Summer proclaimed.
"Like that lame yellow kitty shirt you wore as a skirt because your pajama pants were burned." Raven recalled that embarrassing moment.
"Hey! You didn't have to bring that up, and that shirt belonged to Taiyang. He was so sweet and thoughtful to fix my shorts." Summer smiled.
Ruby and Yang look down at the picture, seeing the blonde man on the right side next to Raven and they can immediately tell that the man in the photo is their dead father Taiyang Xiao Long.
"Dad was amazing with you guys, huh?" Ruby asked.
"Oh yeah, Tai was like the bomb of the group with his positive thinking and really bad puns which unfortunately he passes it down to Yang." Qrow chuckled and gesture to Yang.
"Hey, comedy runs in the family." Yang protested, laughing a little.
"Yes, for a Xiao Long time." Raven rolled her eyes, but then realizes what she just said and Yang laughs.
"Oh man, dad must've really gotten you hook on his joke and heart to have a tough woman like you." Yang commented.
"Bet it was the same for you too, Mom." Ruby smiled at Summer.
"You have no idea how shocked we were when Tai came up and confessed his love to both of us when we got started on our Huntress and Huntsman career, it was such a crazy moment that Raven was blushing redder than a tomato." Summer explained with a giggle.
"Don't pretend like you were any better than me." Raven looked away.
"Well, I have a number of inappropriate stories to back that up our coolness and awesome times in Beacon." Qrow smirked.
"Qrow…" Summer and Raven looked at him, like they're telling him to say anything, and he got the message.
"But I'll save those for when you're older." Qrow chuckled with a sweat drop.
"Oh, gross." Ruby exclaimed.
"Anyways, I'm too old to be hanging out with a bunch of kids and moms. You're gonna cramp my style." Qrow said as he stood up and walks to the door.
"Pretty sure you've done that to yourself." Raven mocked a little.
Qrow rolls his eyes though stop himself at the doorframe, thinking about how Tai would love spending time with his two daughters and wives if he was alive right now. He decided to at least give the girls one last piece of advice about being a Hunter like a Huntress.
"Look, just remember that you've still got a long way to go... And don't think for a second that graduating means you're done. Every day out there is worth a week in this place. You two, you're gonna go far. But only if you keep learning, if you never stop moving forward." Qrow said before leaving the room.
Raven and Summer look at each other for a moment as they just saw the drunken Qrow they know was being wise and serious with that wisdom, that is not something they see him do every day. Only when it's about the important things and probably Tai was on his mind just now.
"Mom-Summer, do you mind telling us a bit more about our dad?" Yang asked.
"Sure." Summer nodded.
(With Sun, Menat, and Cammy)
"And that is how I got into fortune-telling." Menat finished telling her boyfriend and his mother about how she came into being a fortune teller.
"Wow, can't believe something that confidence can actually happen. Something that only happens in one in a million chances." Sun commented.
"You can say that again, but I'm happy that it worked out for the best." Cammy nodded.
"Oh, I can see Weiss and Winter." Menat pointed toward the Schnee sisters at their spot.
Sun and Cammy turn their heads to Weiss holding her sword up and looks like she is trying to do something while Winter is behind doing her best to help her.
"Excellent form! Now think of your fallen foes! The ones who forced you to push past where you were and become who you are now. Think of them and watch as they come to your side." Winter said, giving her little sister some advice.
Weiss tries really hard on getting her first Summoning right as she doesn't want to be weak for her big sister to take care of, but the attempt fails as the circle dismisses.
"I can't." Weiss complained a little.
"Stop doubting yourself!" Winter slapped on the back of Weiss's head.
"I'm trying!" Weiss said, feeling hurt from the slap.
"If this is what you call trying, then you have no hope of winning the tournament, let alone succeeding as a Huntress" Winter stated.
"She's right, you know." Sun said, revealing himself to the Schnee sisters.
"Sun! What are you doing here?" Weiss asked, surprise to see him here along with Cammy and Menat.
"The girls and I were just having an outing, then we notice you girls having your own little thing though it doesn't look like it's going well." Sun said.
"We were training and is having a hard time with her conflicted feelings." Winter explained.
"That conflicted thing wouldn't happen to be your father, by any chance?" Cammy asked.
"No, it's not like I need his charity!" Weiss proclaimed.
"But you do need his money, don't you?" Winter asked, leaning in.
"What!? How did you know about that!?" Weiss asked shock.
"Lucky guess. I may have been in a similar situation when I joined the military." Winter explained.
"I sense that you are feeling tense towards your father, a deep sadness along with a bit of hatred. You want to move past your father to make a brighter future." Menat felt her crystal ball to feel Weiss's emotions.
"Oh, reading me like an open book." Weiss deadpanned.
"I heard a lot of bad things about your dad, and most came from my mom who met him a few times." Sun said.
"Yes, Jacques is a power-hungry man who would use whatever he can get his hands on just to make himself feel like he's the one in control." Cammy recalled seeing the man, and she could already tell that Jacques is not a thoughtful man.
"I know, we've experienced those kinds of things for a long time." Weiss said as Winter nods.
"If you ask me, that guy is not worth being a man at all. He's better off rotting in the streets or be thrown in jail." Sun commented.
"That is easier said than done." Weiss said.
"But that doesn't mean he will take control of you. I mean, you've already went against him when you came to Beacon instead of studying at Atlas and showed how awesome you are since coming here like at the tournament." Sun complimented making Weiss blush.
"I say you keep doing what you were doing here and do more outside of that comfy mansion and away from the fancy stuff, it's definitely more fun and you know it." Sun believed.
"Yes, I think you're right." Weiss giggled.
"And heck, your big sis was already doing it. Showing that bastard, she's her own person to walk on her own two feet and looking awesome doing it." Sun complimented to Winter.
"Oh, thank you." Winter blushed, feeling her heart just skipped a beat.
"It's time for me to go." Winter said as she walks up to Weiss, and they hug each other.
"It was really good to see you, Winter." Weiss said as they break off the hug.
"Until next time, sister." Winter said with a sad smile.
(With Emerald)
Emerald is walking through the outside part of the school wanting some alone time for herself.
"A strong survivor, and yet you've been tainted by darkness." Gouken said, suddenly appearing behind her while meditating. This spooks Emerald as she turns around.
"Huh, hi?" Emerald greeted confusedly.
"Life is hard and full of things that would make us feel like the darkness is the only thing that can makes one feel comfort, but that will lead you down to a path of hardships and destruction if you allow the darkness to drag you down." Gouken stated.
"Even so, there will always be light when there is darkness, and one must find balance within themselves to truly feel free to be who and what they are destined to be. And now allow others to make decisions for them." Gouken said with his hands together.
"Wow, that sounds really wise." Emerald commented sarcastically, wondering what this old man's deal is.
Gouken stood up and thrust his hands down causing a shockwave that knocks Emerald down, and he walks up to her offering a hand, she hesitated a bit but took it.
"I sense darkness in your heart, but I also sense a tiny bit of light within you. That light can grow stronger only if you are willing to step into the light and embrace something that you have yet to experience." Gouken walked away, leaving Emerald in thoughts about the words he said to her.
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Everyone got to have their downtime with families such as Ruby and Yang with their family talking about the moms and Uncle's younger days with their dads, Weiss and Winter got themselves an unexpected moment with Sun, and it looks like Gouken may have sparked something in Emerald with that one small encounter.
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